Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 349

Expectant vs. Reactionary Churches

By Chuck Lawless

Most churches that contact my church consulting firm do so after they’ve recognized a problem; that is, they are reacting by asking for outside help. I’m grateful to assist them, but their process itself often reveals a problem that inflicts most churches: they are reactionary rather than expectant congregations.

Is your church more expectant or reactionary? Review these characteristics to see where your church is.

Vision

Expectant churches have a clear Great Commission vision. They know that God is drawing to Himself a people from every tribe, tongue, and nation (Rev. 5:9-10), and they are humbled to play a role in that task. That vision is evident in their staffing, their programming, and even their conversations. What God has in store for them in the future really matters.

Reactionary churches, on the other hand, do not typically have a Great Commission vision. Instead, their goals are often just the opposite of a biblical church: guarding their tradition more than reaching the unchurched; surviving the world’s onslaught rather than being light in the world; protecting positions rather than offering life.

Leadership

Expectant churches have leaders who are “ignitors.” That is, they have a passion for igniting the fire in others. By faith, they see potential and promise in others. They invest in the next generation. Ignitors lead a church into the future, not worrying about personal recognition or reward in doing so.

Reactionary churches have leaders who are more “firemen” than ignitors. Firemen spend their time putting out troublesome fires. This task is not an insignificant one, but firemen seldom have time or energy left for casting vision. Their ministry quickly becomes reactionary rather than proactive.

Prayer

Expectant churches have an intentional, strategic prayer ministry. They teach believers how to pray, mentor them as they learn, and hold them accountable for praying. Staff members pray regularly with each other. Small groups include prayer leaders. Senior adults pray by name for students and children, and all generations pray for missionaries.

Reactionary churches, though, only respond in prayer. A family struggles, and then the church prays. A teen wanders, and then the church prays. In fact, many churches pray only when needs are added to a prayer list—after the problem has developed. Prayer is more a band-aid than the DNA of a reactionary church.

Outreach

Expectant churches understand that the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) is about going. They think about, pray for, plan for, and reach out to people who have never attended as well as those currently attending. These churches so prominently influence their community through evangelistic ministries that their neighbors would miss them if the church did not exist.

Reactionary churches are instead inwardly focused. A quick review of the church’s calendar and budget shows little energy and few dollars devoted to reaching others. No church would ever include this motto on their website, but reactionary churches often live this way: “We’re here, and you know how to find us if you wish. We’ll respond when you get here.”

Change

Expectant churches are so accustomed to discussing God’s future that they enthusiastically talk about “what’s next” for their congregation. In fact, change is their norm. They are always experiencing “excited chaos” because leaders are continually calling them to the next level. Stagnation rather than change is most alarming.

Reactionary churches are just the opposite. They do not prepare for the future; they fight to protect the past. Little has changed for years, if not for decades. The norm is so routine that members would be uncomfortable if God did something not already scheduled in their church’s bulletin.

Growth

Expectant churches, by definition, expect God to grow their congregation. They believe God gave the Great Commission because He intends to use believers to make disciples. These churches rejoice publicly as God adds to the church (Acts 2:47), and they grieve when growth does not happen. Moreover, they have in place a strategy to grow new believers in their congregation.

Reactionary churches are not only unprepared for growth, but they are surprised by it. Any growth is unexpected and startling – threatening, even, if the growth requires change. New believers in a reactionary church seldom grow, as the church does not have a spiritual nursery ready to take care of them when they join. Numerical growth is usually only temporary in this kind of church.

What other characteristics would you add to describe expectant or reactionary churches?

 Chuck Lawless currently serves as Professor of Evangelism and Missions and Dean of Graduate Studies at Southeastern Seminary.

You can connect with Dr. Lawless on both Twitter and Facebook.

Eight Signs of Fearful Leadership

Over the past few years, I’ve heard the phrase “courageous leadership” used to describe the trait of those leaders who are making a difference today. Unfortunately, we also know many who are in leadership positions where that courage is not apparent. Indeed, they demonstrate leadership that is fearful.

These leaders are harmful to organizations because they have unique ways to hinder others from making vital contributions. They can appear busy, but most often their work is busyness.

All of us are subject to moments of fear in our various leadership roles. Can we overcome those moments? Better yet, are there signs or indicators to serve as cautions? I believe there are at least eight such tendencies in fearful leaders. And if we are manifesting any of these, we need an immediate behavioral change.

Procrastination. Fearful leaders put off tasks for fear that they cannot do them well. They are experts at passive-aggressive behavior. They can receive an assignment to do a task, then “conveniently” forget to do it.
Over analysis. Fearful leaders want to over-analyze every situation in an attempt to eliminate risk. They never stop analyzing because they never eliminate the risk. An organization built around fear will have an excess of analysts and policy wonks.
A bias against actions outside the status quo. The status quo is the lone comfort place of a fearful leader. Get him or her beyond status quo, and the leader is often deemed ineffective. Though the fearful leader may avoid the overused, “We’ve never done it that way before,” he or she might say something similar like, “That’s really not the way we do it here.”
Worry about critics. The fearful leader is a people pleaser. Critics can immobilize him or her. To use a sports metaphor, fearful leaders avoid decisions that might draw criticism because they play not to lose rather than playing to win.
Reticent to show weaknesses or lack of knowledge. The fearful leader is an insecure person. He or she does not want to exhibit any weakness, even though he or she may have several. You will see the opposite trait exhibited in confident courageous leaders. They have no problems pointing out their own weaknesses and ignorance.
Reticence to move people off the bus. No one should enjoy firing people. No one should enjoy telling a volunteer that he or she is no longer needed in a position. But for the sake of the organization, some people need to be moved off the bus. The fearful leader will let persons stay on the bus well beyond their effectiveness because they fear confrontation, and because they fear making a wrong decision.
Failure to reinvent oneself. A fearful leader does not want their circumstances to change; that is why such leaders fiercely defend the status quo. Likewise, they don’t see any need for change in themselves. Courageous leaders are constantly reinventing themselves. Fearful leaders rarely improve their skill sets significantly.
Obsession with details. Fearful leaders love to stay in the morass of insignificant details. Because the details are usually unimportant, it is difficult to make a mistake of consequence. Of course, it’s impossible to do anything of consequence when your focus is on those things that really don’t make a difference.

It is not unusual to find fearful leaders who consistently exhibit all eight signs. That’s just the way they lead (or fail to lead). But even good leaders can find themselves gravitating toward one or more of these weaknesses at times. All leaders need to evaluate themselves honestly to make certain such drift does not take place.

What do you think of these eight signs of fearful leaders? What traits have you seen the most? What traits would you add?

Pray for Life Community Church

Location: Owensboro, Kentucky

Pastor: Rev. Kenny Rager

Worship Time: 11:00 AM (Central Time)

Fast Facts: Life Community Church is a high-impact church, a church that seeks to combine numerical and spiritual growth for impacting lives and communities. LCC is trying to reach families with the gospel in a growing section of Owensboro, Kentucky. It launched on October 28, 2012 and since that date has baptized 14 people and is averaging 70-80 in primary worship attendance.

The church is preparing to relocate to a new facility because they have outgrown the present one. Pray that God will continue to grow this new congregation in conversions as well as spiritual maturity.

Website: www.lifeowensboro.com

“Pray for . . .” is the Sunday blog series at ThomRainer.com. We encourage you to pray for these churches noted every Sunday. Please feel free to comment that you are praying as well. If you would like your church to be featured in “Pray for . . .” contact Steve Drake, director of pastoral relations, at Steve.Drake@LifeWay.com.

Five Ways to Avoid Lying about Church Attendance

I have used these lines many times in speaking venues. I ask the audience if they know how Baptists count weekly worship attendance. The knowing smiles break forth on most faces. I then began counting each person in the conference by saying 2, 4, 6, 8 . . . As the audience waits for the punch line, I say that every believer is indwelled by the Holy Spirit, so each person counts as two.

Laughter. But it’s laughter because there is some parcel of truth behind my attempt at humor.

Let’s say it clearly without equivocation: Sometimes church leaders lie about the weekly church attendance.

Sometimes the lies are the result of an inflated ego where a leader gets his self-worth by leading a bigger church. Sometimes it’s the result of the sin of comparison with other leaders and other churches. Sometimes we rationalize it because our denominations or publications make such a big deal about it.

In all cases it’s wrong. Inflating attendance numbers is committing the sin of lying.

How Did We Get Here?

In a previous post, I noted the history of how churches count. For most centuries, total membership was the primary gauge. Until the 1990s, the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in America, counted Sunday school attendance.

But today, the primary metric is weekly worship attendance. As I noted in my earlier post, it is even difficult to get all churches on the same page in counting worship attendance.

As worship attendance became the primary metric, it became easier to report numbers that were not precise. And if numbers are not precise, they tend to be inflated rather than deflated. What, then, are some safeguards we can put in place?

What Are Some Solutions?

Reporting inflated numbers is a temptation. And one might simply declare that the best way to avoid the sin is to stop doing it. But, like other sinful temptations, a declaration of abstinence from the sin does not always work. Here are a few safeguards we can put in place.

Do not estimate. I see churches of all sizes provide precise counts of worship attendance. They have counters responsible for designated areas of the worship center or sanctuary. A literal head count takes place for every area. Some churches are doing the same thing from videos after the services.
Have no less than two counters. If the counters are responsible for specific areas as noted above, have them rotate areas each week. Any aberrations can then be identified to a specific person. For example, if an area always has a high count when Charlie is counting, Charlie is probably the problem.
Be clear on how you count. Do you count people only in the primary worship services? Do you count children, students, or preschoolers who may not be in the primary services? If you are counting multiple services or locations, how do you count a person who shows up at more than one service (like the preacher and the musicians)? I noted my own preferences in an earlier post.
Keep in mind that anything other than truthful reporting is committing the sin of idolatry. Those attendance numbers become your idol because of the accolades of men and women you might receive. This sin is not something small; it is a sin that replaces the worship of the one true God with an idol.
Ask yourself how you can use these numbers to bring glory to God. Those questions alone will engender a check in your spirit before you exaggerate any numbers. Can the numbers remind you to pray for people? Can the numbers give you a burden to reach more with the gospel? Can the numbers give you indications on how your church may do things more effectively for His glory?

What Does the Bible Say?

The Bible reminds us that numbers and counting are neither intrinsically good nor intrinsically evil. David counted with the wrong motivation, and it was clearly sinful (2 Samuel 24). Luke records the numbers of people who became believers and its count is clearly celebratory (Acts 4:4).

If we report our attendance numbers to show how big and good our churches are compared to other churches, we are clearly counting and sinning. If we add one more to the count than is really present, we are clearly sinning. But if we use the numbers as a way to celebrate God’s goodness, and if we use them to motivate us for greater service to Him, we are clearly using the numbers for God’s glory.

How do you count attendance? Do you think attendance numbers are used often in a way to boast and demonstrate pride? Do you think some leaders lie when they report attendance? What is your opinion about this entire issue of counting and attendance?

Raising Godly Children — Rainer on Leadership #004

Podcast Episode #004

Subscribe via iTunes

Since this episode of Rainer on Leadership is releasing on Mother’s Day weekend, Selma Wilson joined me to talk about parenting and the importance of raising godly children.

Among the topics we covered were the importance of praying for your children and their future spouses should they marry. We also discuss the need to devote time to your family as well as what to do when you blow it as a parent—like the time I called my soon-to-be daughter-in-law the wrong name in her wedding ceremony.

Episode Sponsor

This week’s podcast is brought to you by Love Dare for Parents, a 40-day journey of “dares” challenging one or both parents to understand, practice, and communicate Christ-like love to their children.

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at ThomRainer.com. If we use your question, you’ll receive a free autographed copy of I Am a Church Member.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

I Am a Church Member  by Thom Rainer
Raising Dad by Thom Rainer and Art Rainer
The Parent Adventure by Rodney Wilson, Selma Wilson, and Scott McConnell
Love Dare for Parents by Alex Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick
HomeLife magazine
ParentLife magazine
Parenting Teens magazine
More Living magazine

Friday is for Freebies – Doxology and Theology

This Friday’s giveway includes a new book from Matt Boswell and the Mission of God Study Bible.

First is the new book by Matt Boswell, Doxology and Theology. It’s a resource by worship leaders for worship leaders that clearly articulates how these two pieces join together. Contributions from eleven respected worship leaders around the country including Matt Papa (Summit Church, Raleigh-Durham), Aaron Keyes (Grace Church, Atlanta), Michael Bleecker (The Village Church, Dallas), and Zac Hicks (Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church, Denver) unite worship with themes of mission, disciple-making, the Word of God, the Trinity, family, and more

Also included is the latest HCSB study Bible from B&H, the Mission of God Study Bible. Edited by Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation, the Mission of God Study Bible encourages followers of Jesus Christ to see their everyday life from God’s perspective and have His heart for people. It’s a reminder that we live around people in desperate need of redemption and reconciliation with God, which can only be found in Jesus. The mission of God has never been just for specialists; it is for all believers to live out through their daily lives and by sharing the good news of what God has done through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus.

To be eligible to win, tell us your favorite food.

The deadline to enter is midnight CDT this Saturday.  We will draw one winner from the entries on Monday morning.

By entering, you acknowledge and accept the terms of the promotion.

Notable Voices – May 9, 2013

Who Really Runs Wikipedia? — The Economist

Wikipedia is not without it faults, but it has become an incredibly useful tool for millions of users around the world. But who actually runs the site? The Economist sheds light on the details behind the Internet’s encyclopedia.

 

3 Challenges for the Church Planter — Ron Edmondson

As a former church planter and current pastor of an established church, Ron has a unique perspective on the church. While Ron’s post is specifically tailored to church planting, his three challenges are faced by almost every pastor at some point.

 

Don’t Waste Your Summer with Students — Alvin Reid

Summertime can be a difficult time for churches to maintain ministry momentum—especially in age-level ministries when summer vacations are involved. Alvin provides some helpful ideas for keeping students engaged in ministry through the summer.

 

6 Easy Ways to Destroy Community This Summer — Ben Reed

Similar to the previous post, Ben shares six precautions for small groups as summer approaches. The last thing you want to do with a small group is let the calendar drive it to extinction.

 

What Happens When Someone on Your Team Drops the Ball — Brad Lomenick

It’s going to happen. You or someone you work with will eventually drop the ball on an assignment. So what should happen next? Brad provides wise counsel to those on both sides of the issue.

Five Reasons Your Pastor Will Not Ask for a Raise

My recent blogpost on pastors’ salaries drew a lot of attention. There are indeed some heated emotions on both sides of the issue. Much of the concern expressed about the pay of ministers seems to focus on those cases of real indulgence and abuse. But it’s those cases that get the most attention and, sadly, hurt the vast majority of ministers who are faithful stewards of God’s money.

The Real Numbers

Look for moment at these numbers. Let’s assume there are 500 cases of financial abuse and indulgence among ministers taking place today. I’m not convinced the number is that high, but we will use it as a starting point.

There are approximately 1.2 million paid staff members in Protestant churches. That means there are four cases of financial abuse for every 10,000 ministers. To state it positively, there are 9,996 ministers of every 10,000 who are either paid adequately or below their needs.

The Survey Says . . .

My son, Art Rainer, recently completed a book (to be released in June 2013) on ministers’ salaries and other financial issues. An informal survey of over 100 pastors provided some of the data for one chapter of the book. In that survey, over 80 percent of the pastors indicated they were financially struggling. About the same number said they needed a raise.

But 100 percent responded that they had never asked for a raise. All of them said that. There were no exceptions.

Why Won’t Pastors Speak Up?

So why are pastors so reticent to express a real need that they have? And why is the apprehension almost universal among all ministers? Essentially, we found five answers to these questions.

First, the ministers are aware that a few bad examples in ministry have poisoned perceptions for many. The abuses have garnered much attention. Many ministers think that they will be associated with the small minority if they say a word.

Second, many ministers view money as an “earthly” issue. Their role is to focus on spiritual matters. They are to keep quiet when any discussion of their pay takes place. They certainly are not to ask for anything financially.

Third, there are always critics in the church looking for any issue to go after the pastor or other staff ministers. If ministers broach the subject of a pay increase, they give critics ammunition to attack the minister verbally and in writing. Ministers are keenly aware of such a risk.

Fourth, pastors know the hurts and needs of their church members and those in the community. They know that many are suffering worse than they are financially. They are therefore very sensitive to speak about their own needs. When one has ministered to three families in the past year that declared bankruptcy, that pastor feels terrible even hinting that his family is struggling financially. This reality has been especially vivid during and after the Great Recession.

Fifth, we found that a number of church members think that any mention of financial needs by their pastor demonstrates a lack of faith. The members freely quote out-of-context Bible verses to demonstrate the weak faith of the pastor who is courageous enough to mention this need.

Of course, most of the critics of a pastor’s pay would gladly accept a raise in their own jobs. It’s just different for their pastor, they surmise. And that is a very sad perception.

A United Front?

I am keenly aware that my writing on these financial issues engenders debate among many church members and ministers alike. I do not desire to be divisive. To the contrary, I am praying for a united response to help those ministers who have a real financial need.

No one should deny the reality that, in a few cases, ministers do not reflect healthy, biblical stewardship. But I pray that the few bad examples won’t become a reason for church members to remain silent about their pastors’ financial needs.

In all likelihood, your pastor will not speak up about any financial needs. What do you think about this dilemma? What should we as church members do? What do you ministers think about this matter?

Ten Signs of Hope for a Declining Church

By Chuck Lawless

The question didn’t surprise me, but I wasn’t ready with an answer. I was a young church consultant, and the church’s leadership team had several questions. The one for which I had no answer at the time was, “What characteristics have you seen in churches that seemed to be dying, but that experienced growth after a consultation?” After many more years of consulting, here is my answer today.

The leader is preaching the Bible. Numerical growth can occur without preaching the Word, but genuine personal and congregational transformation doesn’t happen apart from the Word. The struggling churches I’ve seen experience healthy change have been led by leaders who preach the Word. They don’t compromise on this task, knowing that the Word still changes lives.
Somebody is praying. Sometimes it’s the leader, and sometimes it’s another church member – but somebody is beseeching God to help the church turn around. I’ve met church members who prayed daily for their church for years, and they never wavered in that commitment. Consistent prayer is a confession we can’t change a church’s direction apart from the power of God.
Leaders are willing to face the truth. Attendance numbers are in decline. Giving is decreasing. The church is not reaching their neighborhood. Signs of congregational decline are everywhere. Never have I seen this kind of church experience new life unless the leaders are willing to admit, “Our future is death if things don’t change.”
The leader takes responsibility for growth. I realize this sign is a controversial one, and I’m not suggesting that leaders can produce growth on their own. Nor am I implying that leaders are solely responsible for a lack of growth. I’m simply reporting what I’ve seen: turnaround church pastors determine, “It’s my responsibility to lead this church out of decline.”
The leader still has a vision for growth. The leader’s vision might be clouded by discouragement, but it’s still there in his heart. Ask him, and he will still talk of people who need to be reached. He still grieves over the unchurched and the undiscipled. His belief that Christ will build His church remains strong, even through a time of church decline.
Somebody is evangelizing. Often, the leader is the primary evangelist in these churches, but not always. Sometimes a layperson whose spiritual fire is burning brightly takes the lead. In one church with whom I worked, that person was a new believer whose passion reignited others in the congregation. As long as someone is excited enough about God and the church to tell the gospel story, hope exists.
The leader is investing in someone else. Congregational decline is at times so emotionally draining that leaders fail in their personal ministry to others. In turnaround churches I’ve seen, though, the leader has continually invested in a few believers. Even in the most difficult times, seeing life change in one person can be encouraging enough to keep pressing forward.
The church is still reaching out to the community. The efforts may not be as strong as they once were, and congregational participation may be less, but somebody is still thinking outwardly. The outreach may be as simple as passing out water on a street corner or passing out tracts in a neighborhood. It takes only a few people obedient to the Great Commission to change a church.
Somebody has a global vision. Years ago, I consulted with a declining church that had international partnerships, but they did little local evangelism. Several of their leaders had a passion for particular people groups around the world. When they learned through our consult that those people groups also lived in their city, the church began to think locally – and turnaround slowly began. A global vision led to local outreach and growth.
Leaders refuse to give up. Frankly, church turnaround is not easy. Honest evaluation is painful. Admitting failure is personal. Change can be draining, and any change may cause even more turmoil. The churches I’ve seen turnaround, however, have leaders that simply do not give up. They believe the church is still God’s church.

Most churches in North America are plateaued or declining. Given that reality, many church leaders need signs of hope today. What signs have you seen that give you hope?

 Chuck Lawless currently serves as Professor of Evangelism and Missions and Dean of Graduate Studies at Southeastern Seminary.

You can connect with Dr. Lawless on both Twitter and Facebook.

Five Ways Your Church Can Use I Am a Church Member

Wow!

That’s the first word that comes to my mind when I see the early reaction to I Am a Church Member.

Perhaps better words would be “thank you” and “to God be the glory.”

I am both overwhelmed and humbled by the early response to my book. Current trajectory indicates that it will soon surpass my previous bestseller, Simple Church.

But enough about my sales and me. I am already getting questions about how to use this book most effectively. Of course, many have already read the brief tome on their own. But is there a context in the church that is effective for studying this book? Absolutely!

I actually wrote this book with a group context in mind. That is why I put study questions at the end of each chapter.

For now, I have five key ways to use I Am a Church Member in your congregation. The good news is that I know of different churches already using these five approaches.

New members’ class. There is no better time to set attitudinal expectations about church membership than on the front end. I am gratified to hear of hundreds of churches already making this move.
Small group study. There are six chapters and an introduction in the book. With the study questions at the end of each chapter, it is perfectly suited for a multi-week study.
Gifts for guests. Two churches let me know that they will be giving every first-time guest one of these books. They told me that it helps to share the membership philosophy as soon as possible.
Leadership groups in the church. I am encouraged to hear about elders, deacons, church staff, and others coming together to study the book. One pastor sent me a tweet that said his leadership group made a decision to scrap and reinstitute their membership process after studying the book.
All church members. I have been especially gratified to hear of churches that are providing the book to every church member. One pastor told me that if the book has an impact on just 10 percent of those who receive it, the church could see its greatest days ever. That statement was really encouraging.

I Am a Church Member provides a short yet poignant description of the right and biblical attitude of church members. It can be read in one or two hours, or it can be studied over several weeks.

I really owe a great deal of appreciation to you readers. The book began as a blogpost, but your responses to it led me to put it in book form. I believe I have some of the sharpest people in the world reading this blog. I pray that, in some way, this book will help you and your churches. It’s the least I can do for you.

I Am a Church Member was also the subject of a recent episode of Rainer on Leadership. You can listen to the podcast here.